Standard for preparing hand bouquets



May 15, 1951 H. J. MILLER STANDARD FOR PREPARING HAND BOUQUETS Filed Dec. 22, 1947 INVENTOR. HARRY J. MILLER ATTORNEV Patented May 15, 1951 STANDARD FOR PREPARING HAND BOUQUETS Harry J. Miiler, Dearborn, Mich.

Original application August 14, 194:6, Serial No.

690,568. Divided and this application December 22, 1947, Serial No. 793,133

The present invention relates to a stand for selectively holding a hand bouquet holder in a position simulating the position in which the finished bouquet is to be carried.

The present application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 690,568.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a method to facilitate and expedite the arrangement and compositionof a floral bouquet by providing a stand for a bouquet holder which permits the bouquet to be held during its composition essentially in the position in which the completed bouquet is designed to be carried, thereby freeing the hands of the florist to facilitate his arrangement of the bouquet as it is composed.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide means of the character described whereby the florist may visualize the proper re lationship of the bouquet to the position in which it is to be carried and to make his arrangement of the bouquet accordingly, and whereby the flowers may be adjusted to the position and angle at which the bouquet is to be carried so as to assure its balance when it is carried.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claim reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a front elevation of a stand and bouquet holders embodying the present invention, portions of the stand being cut away and shown in partial section to show details of its construction.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan taken in the direction of the arrows essentially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the bouquet holders being removed to show details of the stand construction.

Before explaining the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In brief, the present invention proposes a method by which a florist may compose and arrange hand or arm floral bouquets and in 1 Claim. (Cl. 248--27.8)

2 which an upright stand, adapted for use on the florists workbench, supports a bouquet holder essentially in the position and angle at which the bouquet is designed to be carried. The bouquet holders may be light weight sheet metal stampings or may be formed of suitable colored or clear plastic material which will contribute to the beauty of the bouquet. A variety of shapes of the bouquet holders are designed to provide for the several types of hand or arm bouquets commonly used. In arranging a bouquet by the method of the present invention, a body of cushioning material such as florists moss or the like or similar material, secured in place, preferably by lacing to a bouquet holder which is designed to provide a handle for carrying the bouquet and a body portion defining the base shape of the completed bouquet. The stems of the flowers, ferns, and other elements of the bouquet, either plain or wired to supporting stems, are then secured in place by being inserted into the cushioning material and under the lacings which hold the cushioning material to the bouquet holder.

Referring to the drawings, one example of a stand embodying the present invention is shown in Fig. 1, as an illustration with the three basic forms of hand and arm bouquet forms shown in place. It is to be understood, however, that when in usual use, but one of such forms will be placed on the stand at one time. The stand includes a base It} which supports the cylindrical vertical upright II. The upper cap piece I 2 and the lower cap piece is are tied together at opposite ends of the upright H by the longitudinal rod M, which latter extends within the upright H and pierces the caps I 2 and [3 at its opposite ends. The upper end of the rod I4 is flanged at 15 or otherwise suitably prevented from slipping downward through the upper cap I 2. The lower end of the rod I4 is threaded and secured to the underside of the base IE! by means of the wing nut and washer assembly It. By tightening the wing nut assembly IS, the upright I! is securely held to the base I0. 7

Three basic types of holders indicated generally by the numerals l1, I8 and I9 are shown by way of example in the drawings to represent respectively, holders for the arm bouquet, the hand bouquet, and the colonial bouquet. The arm bouquet holder [1 has a tapered handle 20 adapted to fit within the slotted openings 2| positioned in the sides of the upright H so as to retain the bouquet holder [1 at the proper angle at which an arm bouquet is customarily carried. The tapered handle 20 allows the bouquet holder I! to be inserted into the openings 2| of the upright ll only to a predetermined limit. The table 22 of the arm bouquet holder I! is preferably an elongated serrate leaf-shaped disc.

The hand bouquet holder 18 has a tapered handle 23 which is intended to be grasped by the folded hand of the user. The handle 23 is attached to the serrate disc-shaped table 25. The handle 23 is tapered to fit within the slotted opening 26 of the upper cap l2 the required amount to hold the table 25 in the desired position to permit composition of the bouquet.

The colonial bouquet holder is similarly has a tapered handle 21 which is adapted for insertion into the slotted opening 28 of the upper cap 12 and is prevented from being inserted too far by means of the taper. The upper end of the handle 2'1 is secured to the underside of the preferably serrate and bowl shaped table 29.

1 From the foregoing it is apparent that the method of the present invention greatly facilitates and expedites the preparation of a bouquet. For example, the arm bouquet 'is held at an angle in the crook of the arm, the hand bouquet and the colonial bouquets are usually held by one hand at the midline of the body slightly above the waist. These positions are simulated by means of the holder here shown. Thus the florist has both hands free to make arrangements and adjustments in the bouquet as his composition proceeds and the bouquet is designed and arranged in balance in essentially the position in which it is to be finally carried. Furthermore, where suflicient notification is given, as in the case of wedding parties, the bouquet holders may be selected and prepared in advance by lacing suitably sized portions of the cushioning material in place. Then, just a few minutes before the completed bouquets are desired, they may be completed as described above in a fraction of the time that would ordinarily be required by conventional methods. Thus the florist is assured of the freshness of bouquets leaving his shop.

The above specification and disclosures set forth my novel and useful method which will facilitate and expedite the composition of a hand or arm bouquet, and have also provided new and useful improvements in bouquet holders for use therewith and in a stand for the same whereby a bouquet holder may be supported upon said stand in essentially the position and at the angle in which the completed bouquet will be carried.

I claim:

A floral stand to facilitate the preparation of a floral bouquet of the hand carried type and comprising an enlarged hollow base member having a central opening therein, an elongated columnar body member, a lower cap piece positioned between said base and one end of said columnar member, said cap having a peripheral recess for receiving the lower end portion of said columnar body member and also having a central conic-allyshaped lug portion extending into the central opening in said base member, an upper cap for closing the upper end of said columnar body member, and a tie rod extending through said columnar body member, said upper and lower caps and said base member, and securing said upper cap to said base member to hold said stand in assembledrelation, said elongated columnar body member having a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to. receive the handle portion of a bouquet holder and hold it at substantially the same angle and in substantially the same position as the bouquet will be carried by the user, said upper cap also having a plurality of circumferentially disposed apertures for receiving the handle of a bouquet holder.

HARRY J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Great. Britain of 1923 

